A variety of raised toilet seats are available. Generally, these seats include a raised portion which fits on top of the bowl of a conventional toilet when in use and removed therefrom when not in use. These seats serve the needs of those who are unable to lower or raise themselves from a conventional toilet seat. One such toilet seat which serves the purposes described is covered by U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,932 issued to Lenosky and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The problem with toilet seats of this type is that since the raised seat is superimposable on the bowl of the conventional toilet only when the lid and seat of the toilet are in a raised position, they do not allow for closure of the seat by means of lowering the lid when the raised seat is in position. The present invention avoids this situation by providing a toilet seat including apparatus which enables the conventional toilet seat and lid to be utilized in the conventional manner, i.e. both being raised and lowered, as the case may be, to give the toilet a more conventional appearance, as will be recognized as advantageous.
The present invention also provides a raised toilet seat which receives and stabilizes a user supporting frame, so as to minimize its transverse and lateral movements relative to the toilet which is important to those who need additional assistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,338 issued to Homer E. Light discloses toilet height conversion apparatus, but differs from the present invention in many respects as will be discerned from the description thereof which follows.